Squeeze Reworks Teen Songs for New Album
British pop legends Squeeze just released "Trixies," a new album built from songs Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford wrote as teenagers. The duo rediscovered their earliest songwriting efforts and reworked them with their current sound, creating a unique blend of nostalgia and creative renewal. This gives fans a rare window into the band's formative years while showcasing their evolution over decades.
The songs on "Trixies" were originally written and demoed in 1974, years before Squeeze released their debut album in 1978. At the time, Chris Difford was 19 and Glenn Tilbrook was 16. The duo, however, lacked the musical experience to properly record the ambitious project, and the demos were shelved. The album is a concept record centered around a fictional South London nightclub called Trixies and the characters within it. Difford was inspired by the storytelling of Damon Runyon, known for his tales of New York City characters. The teenage Difford had never actually been to the kinds of clubs he was writing about, creating the scenarios from his imagination. The newly recorded album stays true to the original compositions, with minimal changes to the song structures. The project was revived after a friend presented the band with a better-quality recording of the original demos from 1974. The current Squeeze lineup, including bassist and producer Owen Biddle, then recorded the album with modern techniques. The sound of "Trixies" reflects the duo's influences at the time, including David Bowie, Sparks, Roxy Music, and Stevie Wonder. Songs like "The Place We Call Mars" have a distinct Bowie-esque feel, while "Hell on Earth" draws comparisons to the art-rock of Sparks. This was before the band adopted the new wave sound that would define their later hits. The decision to release "Trixies" came after their 2017 album, "The Knowledge," received a lukewarm reception. Tilbrook was told that "Nobody is interested in a Squeeze record. What matters is Squeeze's story," which inspired the band to delve into their own history for this new release. Squeeze was formed in Deptford, London, in 1974 after a 19-year-old Chris Difford placed an ad for a guitarist in a local shop window, which was answered by a 16-year-old Glenn Tilbrook. The songwriting duo would go on to be hailed as "the new Lennon and McCartney" for their string of hits in the late 1970s and 1980s. Alongside the release of these unearthed teenage songs, Squeeze has also been writing and recording an entirely new album. The band found that revisiting their earliest material sparked a new wave of creativity.
